Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-02-16
Prodtabls School Expenditures.

Friday afternoon, FEB. III, l devOt-
ed to visits in the primary and in.
terinediate departments of the Elk
Point schools.
In the primary department, in
charge of Mrs. lsham, l was pleased
with the evidences Of an improved
and improving condition of the pu-
| pills in their habits and mental con-
dition. The power of self-control III
many of these little pupils is well
commenced. and l feel assured is
diligently fostered by their faithful
| teacher.
After the reading exercises Of the
classes in the First and Second read
ers, Mrs. Isham remarked "These
| pupils SO much need and desire new
reading matter. These books have
been read and re-read until there is
nothing new in them" l am well
satisfied Mrs. Isham's judgment is
correct. The classes should be sup
piled with new first and second read
ers. Give them new readers but not
a higher grade of readers until they
are sufficiently developed in mental
power and taste to demand higher
grade of literature. The same ne
cessity exists iii nearly all the schools
of Union County. When the first
and second readers have been read
until there is nothing new for the
exercise of imagination, or memory,
and effort has been made to pro-
nounce the words and read the SEN
fences with proper expression SO Oft
en- that the CHILD has tired with the
exercise, the book ceases to be valua-
BILE. and the teacher can do more val
liable work from the blackboard
without the books than. with them,
In such cases new reading matter Of
the same grade will repay to the par
ents in a term or two the original
cost, with probably more than a
thousand per cent profit.
In the intermediate Department,
Miss Williams, teacher, | found
the school giving attention TO rhetor.
ical exercises presented by the "B"
grade, a member Of the class occupy
ing the presidents chair. Tire ex.
~ercises consisted Of the. residing of
reproductions, original essays o. do.
mestic animals, descriptions Of mag.
mary scenes in Elk Point, declama-
tioris ETC., which were interspersed
With singing. These exercises were
not only interesting, but very profit
able. Some part of every Friday
afternoon should be devoted to rhet-
orical work in all the public schools
Miss W,lliath's years of experience
as teacher, her high moral character,
her cultivation of mind and her ex-
SIMPLE of the true lady before her
pupils must in the years to, come
produce invaluable fruits in their
lives. -
In conclusion. permit he to say
that In school affairs we often waste
by saving, money Of energy. Some.
times by. h~eglecting to furnish books
for our children; sometimes by moi
furnishing the. school room with
necessary apparaths, sometimes by
deciding not to engage d cornpeten,
teacher, because the. salary he com
mands is higher than we have beer
accustomed to, sometimes By nt1
giving the teacher the benefit 81 OF
support Just at the critical momenl
when 4 crisis hSs been reached kni
must. BE- passed with advantage o
disadvantage, afid very generally b,
leaving the schools entirely to III,
fostering care of the teacher, aided
little by the Co. Superintendent.
b w. II. n. FATE.